Tuesday, April 29, 2008

I heard the news today that an old friend, Scott Foster, passed away last year of cancer.Scott was the first boy I had a crush on... he was head of the boys line in first grade Sunday School, and I was head of the girls line. He was fun and friendly and had a wonderful, hearty laugh, even then.Our parents were friends, and we had younger brothers the same age. We attended the same schools and church.Scott and I were like brother and sister in many respects, friends who felt comfortable with each other at that awkward teenage time when we mostly feel uncomfortable with our peers. We went to a movie together the night of our senior prom because, like foolish kids. we were afraid that other kids would think we were boyfriend-girlfriend. We lost touch in college.He married a lovely girl from our high school, a year younger than us, and I married, too. And life moved on, as it inevitably does...Scott and I danced at our 20th high school reunion. Both our spouses stayed home, so it was natural that we would laugh and talk and dance together, just like old times. He hadn't changed a bit from first grade.But that was almost 20 years ago. We never saw each other or spoke again.Scott left his heartbroken wife of 33 years, and two young adult children. I know their loss is terrible and great. But I grieve today, too. Somehow, I always thought I'd see Scott again...